“Poor Laura,” I thought to myself as I watched her struggle.
Laura, my account manager at the bank, looked utterly exhausted—like she hadn’t slept in days.
Her eyes were bloodshot, her hands trembling as she met me at the door.
Something was clearly very wrong.
“How are you, Laura?” I asked gently.
Tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Coenen. I can’t help you with a transfer or withdrawal,” she said, trying to regain her composure.
Then, she began reciting the line I imagine she had already repeated dozens of times to the people ahead of me in the 100-meter line outside the bank.
“Pending the investigation by the U.S. FinCEN, all accounts have been frozen. I am so sorry.”
It was a Monday morning, 10 a.m., in 2015, and the bank I had trusted for years was suddenly in the crosshairs of an investigation.
FinCEN had accused them of money laundering.
What I didn’t know at that moment was that the investigation would stretch on for two long years.
In the end, the bank would be cleared of all accusations, but by then, the damage was done. The bank was destroyed.
Out of sheer panic to prevent a bank run, they had blocked all accounts.
All of them. Including mine.
All my savings. Everything I had.
No money in. No money out.
No transfers. No withdrawals. No access to ATMs.
No swiping my debit card at the gas station. No recurring payments—rent, subscriptions, everything—completely frozen.
I walked outside, pulled out my phone, and logged into my bank account.
The numbers were still there, but they meant nothing.
I should’ve been panicking. I should’ve been overwhelmed.
But I wasn’t. I felt strangely calm.
Because I already knew something:
True Wealth isn’t measured in money.
Sure, I like making money and spending it, just like anyone else.
But years ago, I discovered where true wealth really comes from:
– Your Physical and Mental Health.
– Your Loving Relationships—with family and friends.
– The Freedom of Time.
– Your Experiences
– And living a Life of Purpose.
Those are the things that can never be frozen, blocked, or taken away.
And in the end, those are the things that truly matter.
“I hope everybody could get rich and famous and will have everything they ever dreamed of, so they will know that it’s not the answer.”
Jim Carrey
The Day My Bank Failed – and What I Learned About True Wealth
